The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in Math. The lowest is 27% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Coleman Elem.
Coleman Elementary serves kindergarten through fourth grade in the Meramec Valley R-III School District, located in the unincorporated community of Villa Ridge, Missouri, a rural census-designated place in Franklin County. The school sits along the historic Route 66 corridor, an area shaped by its agricultural past and its later role as a roadside commercial stop. Today, Villa Ridge is a low-density residential community with scattered remnants of that highway-oriented development, and residents rely on nearby towns like Pacific and Union for many civic amenities. The area has seen a modest population decline in recent years, with slow, incremental growth rather than rapid change. Housing values in the area are somewhat above the state benchmark, and the broader economic context shows a national median household income that has risen gradually.
The school itself is a regular public school and is not a charter or magnet. Its enrollment is moderate for a primary school serving these five grade levels. The student body is predominantly white, with a smaller share of students who are Black, Hispanic, or of two or more races. A substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which indicates a significant portion of families have lower household incomes. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available in the source information.
On the 2024-25 state assessments, known as the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP), performance was mixed and varied by grade and subject. In third-grade math, roughly half of students scored at the proficient or advanced level. In fourth-grade math, that share was notably lower. In third-grade English language arts, just under half of students reached proficiency, while fourth-grade ELA showed a smaller share meeting the bar. Looking at the school's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades, the performance level places the school below the midpoint among Franklin County districts. There is also an older piece of data from the 2018-19 school year for fifth-grade science, which is not a grade the school currently serves, so it does not reflect the current student body. Because the school only serves through fourth grade, there is no high school graduation rate to report, and chronic absenteeism data was also unavailable.
A parent considering Coleman Elementary should know that it operates within a district that recently approved a significant bond measure for capital improvements across the district, including safety and security upgrades, roof and HVAC repairs, and classroom renovations. The bond was structured so as not to increase the property tax rate, which means families could see facility improvements without a higher tax bill. However, because the school covers only early elementary grades, a family with older children would need to plan for a transition to a different school within the Meramec Valley district for later grades. The rural setting and highway-oriented geography mean there is not a traditional walkable downtown or concentrated school campus within Villa Ridge itself; school drop-off and pickup are likely car-dependent. For families weighing academic fit, the proficiency results show that while third-grade performance was stronger in math, fourth-grade results in both math and reading were lower. A parent may want to ask the school about its instructional approach and support for students as they move from early to upper elementary grades, particularly given the drop-off in fourth-grade performance.
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